The Garbologists

by Lindsay Joelle
September 7-24, 2023

Wisconsin Premiere

Directed by Jen Uphoff Gray

This off-beat buddy comedy pairs essential workers from two different worlds in the shared cab of a New York City garbage truck. Danny’s a white, blue-collar mansplainer hiding a heart of gold. Marlowe’s a Black, Ivy League-educated newbie learning the ropes from her old-school partner. When they’re thrown together to pick up what the world has discarded, they discover there’s more that binds them than taking out the trash.

"A surprisingly humane and honest play that’s filled with as much laughter as it is drama...and reminds us that we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. We learn that if given a tattered, grimy old volume of text and illustrations, and you take the time to examine it carefully, its value can exceed your imagination."
- Chicago Theatre Review


ASL-Interpreted Performance: Saturday, Sept. 23 at 2pm - Reserve here for special pricing and unobstructed view of the interpreters.

Audio Described Performance: Sunday, Sept. 24 at 2pm - Please email ssafarik@forwardtheater.com us to let us know you're coming, so we can make sure you have the correct device and a great experience.


THE ARTISTS


Featuring Alys Dickerson and Danny Jones

Scenic Designer: Sarah Ross
Lighting Designer: Colin Gawronski
Costume Designer: Karen Brown-Larimore
Sound Designer/Composer: Brian Grimm
Props Master/Asst. Scenic Designer: Pam Miles
Technical Director: Tony Lyons
Stage Manager: Tenley Pitonzo
Asst. Stage Manager: Abbi Hess


EVENTS & EXTRAS


Overture Galleries Exhibit: Forward Theater Company, Madison Arts Commission, and Arts + Literature Laboratory are proud to present an exhibition of recent work inspired by and composed from the things we discard. Garbology: What We Throw Away breathes new life into discarded objects and explores our collective and individual waste.

The lobby bar opens one hour prior to performance. Grab some refreshment and check out this collaborative exhibit just outside The Playhouse!


TRASH 101


WORDS TO LIVE BY

"Juice" (noun) - the viscous concoction brewed by the contents of every garbage collection truck. It has a habit of spraying out of bags as they’re compacted, and it is vital that you avoid it at all costs.

"Mongo" (noun) - the treasure found while working a daily garbage collection route. It can also be used as a verb. Here it is, used in a sentence: "Heck yeah, I'd mongo this mongo."


ARTICLES

I Went to Trash School: An education in “juice,” how to protect your shins, and keeping 12,000 daily tons of garbage at bay.
- By Clio Chang | Curbed


VIDEOS

At a DSNY garage in Manhattan, sanitation workers teach The Garbologists playwright Lindsay Joelle how to operate the truck.


Take a tour of DSNY's private museum of mongo and trash found on route.



PREVIEWS & REVIEWS


A behind the scenes look at the play, featuring interviews with the cast and director.


Review - Forward Theater's ‘The Garbologists’ turns trash into treasure
- By Lindsay Christians | The Cap Times


PRE-SHOW LECTURE


Artistic Associate Marcella Kearns explores the themes and inner-workings of our production of 'The Garbologists' by Lindsay Joelle.



SPONSORS


Sponsored by: Nancy Ciezki & Diane Kostecke, Stafford Rosenbaum, Cap Times Idea Fest